A Mistletoe
by Karristan
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and the Kurosaki house is too loud for Rukia's liking. She decides to pay a visit to Orihime only to find she is a little upset with being alone. Rukia does her best to be festive and keep Orihime happy. Somewhat yuri and humor.
1. The Mistletoe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own bleach or Christmas... Christmas belongs to the people who chose to celebrate it and bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.

_**The mistletoe**_

It was Christmas Eve and all was quiet in the Kurosaki household, if you were deaf. Rukia was laid out on the roof in her puffy and warm winter jacket and her skinny jeans as she listened to the commotion in the house below. She played with her soul pager almost obsessively to pass the time.

Rukia doesn't like Christmas that much since she has never really had anything close to a loving family. Her adopted brother isn't in the least bit interested in holidays or festive seasons. He prefers to work or practice calligraphy in his study where she is prohibited to enter and where he spends most of his time. Ever since her imprisonment he has been colder to her but more protective then usual after his defeat.

It was odd and uncomfortable for him to suddenly act like this after all the time they had spent as siblings though they were as close as two strangers that bump into each other on a daily basis. The Kurosaki residence however felt a little more like home to her now. She was always welcome there and every one was friendly to her even Ichigo on occasion would lighten up around her.

She took a break from her soul pager to look out at the few stars that hovered in the night sky. She let out a long breath and watched as her breath froze upon contact with the cold winter air. Her breath evaporated momentarily but she continued to look up at the stars. This was something she hadn't really done since she was young.

She tried to find familiar patterns but with only this amount of stars it was quite difficult. The lights were too bright in the human world. It was no wonder many humans had poor night vision. They were so used to lights illuminating the way for them that crossing a field proved to be difficult for them during the night hours. Even in Soul Society the souls that recently arrived were having difficulty adjusting to the changes of lighting.

Rukia let out another long sigh figuring she couldn't ignore her freezing legs any longer. She stood and went to the ledge of the roof to enter Ichigo's window only to find it had been closed. It must have gotten too cold for it to stay open. She could see from where she stood that it was locked as well.

She felt her anger boil a bit that Ichigo had the nerve locked her out. He knew she was up there too. Rukia scoffed and walked to the side of the house where it was easiest to get down. It was even better with this amount of snow since the snowplows just pile it up right there. At least if someone were to get hurt playing there it's right next to a clinic.

She could just picture Ichigo's father having that set up as some sort of reckless plan to get more people to use his clinic. It's a sick thought but also wise. It would be better if the location of an accident were so close to a place that can care for the injuries with ease. A sly move with a good cover or a concerned doctor with two kids he tries to get a little too close to at times.

She let a smile form on her lips as she jumped from the roof into the snow. Rukia's smile faded instantly as she sank waist deep in the pile of snow. Her whole body shivered as she tried to dig herself out. Her hands were well past numb by the time she had dug deep enough to get out.

Rukia pulled her legs out and barely noticed that one of her boots didn't come out with her legs. She looked back in the hole and saw it was barely visible. She reached in for it but it was too deep for her hand to reach unless she put her face in the snow as well.

She let out an aggravated sigh as she plunged the side of her face in the snow so she could reach her boot. She blindly groped around for it and with her hand now numb she can't tell if she's digging it out or just burying it even more.

Rukia pulled her face out of the snow and looked in the hole only to find no trace of her boot. Her anger boiled in her stomach as she began to reach in again for it. She got on her stomach exposing her front side to the snow once more to fish out her boot.

She felt her hand grip something solid and she pulled it out relieved only to find it was a chunk of ice. She threw it aside as her anger rose even more and continued her search. When she found something else solid she pulled it out hoping it would be her boot. Well, it was her boot alright but it was also packed with snow. She flipped it upside down to let the snow out.

When only a little bit of it came out she groaned in her anger and dug as much as she could out of it. She gave up when there was only a little left inside and shoved her foot inside with thoughts of; _'My foot is already frozen, it won't matter.'_

Rukia yelped at the new sensation of freezing flesh as her foot slipped into the boot. She tied it as tightly as she could with fumbling fingers that were slowly turning a dark red. She looked down the hill of snow and tried to find the best way down to avoid sinking in again.

Deciding it would be better to just try and jump to the base of it to clear it completely she took off spreading one leg forward as much as she could to get further. She landed on numb legs that wouldn't support her weight making her fall face first into even more snow.

Rukia groaned again as she picked herself up and wiped the snow off her face before shaking it out of her hair. She walked down the street in a fowl mood and occasionally jumping as some snow fell from her hair and down her jacket causing her back to freeze as well.

After awhile she was approaching an apartment complex and she looked at each in turn trying to recall which one belonged to Orihime. She circled the neighborhood trying to remember until she spotted Orihime in the window of one of the houses.

Rukia went around the front to knock on and found it wasn't decorated with anything of holiday spirits. It was strange for Rukia because every one seemed to be putting up decorations for the holiday and Orihime should be overjoyed to do something like this.

Rukia knocked on the door quickly becoming concerned with the color of her fingers. The door was opened in an instant and Rukia was given a look of shock from the obliviously over-busted girl.

"Rukia, what are you doing here?" She asked "And why are you soaked?"

"It's a long story," Rukia replied with a kind smile as she tried to rid herself of her aggravation. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Orihime said as she practically dragged Rukia inside. "I'll get you something warm to drink."

"Thank you," Rukia replied as she at pulled the laces on her boots trying to get them off so her feet can thaw in the warmth.

Orihime was back in an instant with a slightly steaming cup of hot chocolate. Rukia gave Orihime an odd look as she accepted the cup. "That was pretty fast."

"Well, to be honest I made it for myself a few minutes ago but its fine I can make more." Orihime said with a smile.

"Oh, I don't want to impose." Rukia said trying to hand the cup back to Orihime.

"It's fine you could use it more then me. Besides I can always make another one." Orihime said brightly. "Let me help you get comfortable."

Orihime began to help Rukia take her boots off then her jacket. Soon Rukia was sitting in Orihime's living room wrapped up in a very warm blanket while Orihime drew a bath for her. Rukia was grateful for Orihime's kindness but also a little overwhelmed at all the attention. She wasn't used to being cared for so delicately. It made her feel like a child but with her body slowly thawing it was kind of nice to be able to just sit and relax and have someone else do everything for you.

She sipped the last of the hot chocolate as Orihime returned with her bright smile. "The bath is ready for you."

"Thank you, Orihime but you're being too kind. All this isn't necessary, though I do appreciate it." Rukia said gently.

"But you're my guest." Orihime complained. "What kind of person would I be to just leave you soaked like that?"

"I guess you're right, but no more after this, alright?" Rukia said with a little sternness.

She didn't like being treated as though she were helpless. Despite her noble background Rukia grew up on the streets of the Rukongai district and knew how to take care of herself. Regardless though the bath sounded wonderful so she got up and handed the blanket and mug to Orihime with her thanks and proceeded to the bathroom.

Rukia was more then grateful to get out of her wet clothes that had begun to stick to her body. She removed her clothing delicately as it stung her still frozen skin upon contact. Once her clothing was removed she hung her shirt and pants on what she could in hopes they would dry a little for when she put them back on.

When she was finished she sank into the bath slowly and felt the serge of warmth throughout her body. She let out a long relaxed sigh as her body relaxed from any anger she still had from Ichigo locking her out and from falling into the snow pile, which she no longer had any doubt that it was a ploy.

Rukia sank under the water completely for a moment before resurfacing. She slicked her hair back so it was no longer in her face making it easier to wash. Instead of washing it right away she leaned back a little and relaxed in the warmth of the water.

After a short moment Orihime burst through the door unannounced. Rukia sat up with a startled yelp and covered herself as much as she could as her face turned a bright red in her embarrassment. "What are you doing, Orihime?"

"I forgot to bring you some clean clothes to wear." Orihime said walking over to the small table. "I'll leave them here for you."

"That's not necessary." Rukia said with a little aggravation. "My clothes will be fine."

"But they're soaked." Orihime complained as she looked over at the very embarrassed girl with no sense of embarrassment at all. "I don't want you to catch a cold, Rukia."

"I appreciate you're concern but I'll be fine, Orihime." Rukia said her aggravation rising in her voice while her blush deepened. "Could I be alone?"

"Ah, yes of course." Orihime said finally catching on to the situation. "Just tell me if you need anything."

"I'll let you know." Rukia said though she knew she wouldn't even if there was something.

Orihime quickly took her leave finally finding her embarrassment. She walked out leaving the door wide open as if completely forgetting Rukia was in there. Rukia sighed before she called out, "Door please!"

Orihime yelped and ran back shouting an apology before the door was closed. Rukia couldn't help but laugh at the girl's daftness as she relaxed again. There was a slight crash outside the bathroom making Rukia sit up once more with shock.

"Is everything alright?" She called.

When there was no response Rukia got out of the bath and quickly dried herself with a towel before heading to the door while wrapping the towel around her body. She burst out the bathroom to find Orihime had knocked over a small table and was scrambling to clean up. Rukia let out a laugh as Orihime noticed she was standing there. "Are you alright, Orihime?"

Orihime blushed furiously in her embarrassment as she stuttered out her reply, "Everything's fine, nothing to worry about. How about you, have you warmed up?"

"I've warmed up, thank you." Rukia replied kindly.

Orihime smiled warmly. "I'm glad."

Rukia replied with a smile before her awkwardness returned. "I'm going to get dressed. I'll be out in a moment."

"Take your time." Orihime called.

Rukia closed the door and went to where she left her clothes. She frowned as she found they hadn't dried at all. She then glanced at the clothing Orihime brought her so spontaneously. Rukia sighed figuring it was better then putting on wet clothes.

She picked up a shirt and found a pair of panties and a note was left under it. Rukia put the shirt on while eying the note with curiosity. She picked it up next and read:

_Sorry if my clothes don't fit. They're the smallest and most comfortable that I could find. Don't worry about the underwear either and I would have brought you a bra but it wouldn't have fit you. You're a bit small._

To the side of it there was a doodle of possibly an apologetic face. Rukia felt a vain pulse in her forehead as some of her earlier aggravation returned. She looked down at the shirt she was wearing then back to the note.

"Smallest huh," Rukia said to herself. "And what does she mean I'm small. She's just huge in that area."

Rukia pulled the shirt back so it was tight on her front then let out a disappointed sigh at her figure. The note was set aside so Rukia could continue to get dressed. The clothes were loose on her since Orihime was taller. The only thing that really fit her was the panties.

Rukia took a deep breath to relieve some of her aggravation before she left the bathroom. She ventured back to the living room occasionally having to pull up the pajama pants she wore. She found Orihime sitting at the small table with a steaming cup, which probably had more hot chocolate in it. There was also another cup on the table that was also steaming.

Orihime smiled at her friend as she entered the living room to join her. Rukia sat in a seat and looked down at the steaming cup before her. She let out a sigh and said, "I told you that you don't have to go out of your way for me."

"But you're my guest, Rukia." Orihime complained with her little puppy look.

Rukia let out a defeated sigh not want to argue with a girl that had very questionable logic. Rukia took the cup and sipped the hot chocolate as she glanced around the room. There was nothing festive at all in here. It was curious to Rukia as to why such a cheerful girl didn't like to celebrate the holidays.

"Orihime," Rukia started a little slowly. "I'm a little surprised that you haven't decorated for the holidays."

"Oh, I don't bother with that. I usually spend my holidays with Tatsuki's family." Orihime said brightly. "So I don't really have anything festive lying around."

"I see," Rukia said. "So why aren't you with them then? It is Christmas Eve after all."

"Well, they went out of town this year." Orihime said sadly. "I didn't want to impose on them so I stayed here. I don't mind that much."

"I see," Rukia said as she took another sip of her drink. "Isn't it lonely though to be alone on such a festive day?"

"Well, what about you, Rukia?" Orihime implied. "Why aren't you spending time with Byakuya?"

"Oh please, he calls any holiday a waste of time and an excuse to slack off." Rukia said with a little irritation.

"Yes, he does seem like that sort of person." Orihime chimed brightly. "But you're lucky to have family to spend the holidays with."

"Yes, well he isn't exactly family. At least not blood related in any case." Rukia said wanting to get off this subject.

Rukia was well aware that Orihime's older brother had died and later became a hollow. Rukia had met Orihime through an incident with that hollow. Though she had known Orihime before the incident she had simply considered her to be just another human. But Orihime proved to be much more then that. She had an amazing power and a very strange but cheerful personality.

"I'm surprised you're here and not at Ichigo's though. I thought you were always there." Orihime said.

"I was there but I'm not exactly the festive type so I climbed onto the roof from Ichigo's bedroom but then he locked me out." Rukia said. "I don't mind, it was a little too hectic for me anyways and I figured it might be nice to spend an evening with you instead."

Orihime smiled brightly. "Well, this season can get a little hectic. I have no doubt it's pretty loud at the Kurosaki house. But sometimes it's nice to just have a nice conversation with someone and nothing more then that."

"I suppose it is quite relaxing here." Rukia agreed.

"Great, so you'll spend the night?" Orihime said happily.

Rukia was taken aback by the girl's conclusion and just let out a small chuckle. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, then I suppose I could do that."

Orihime's smile brightened immediately. "Do you want to spend Christmas here as well then?"

"Are you sure that's alright?" Rukia asked. "I don't want to impose on you."

"Its fine, besides it's only going to get louder at Ichigo's and you can't be alone on Christmas." Orihime said like it was all the reasons that she needed.

"I've always been alone though." Rukia complained.

"Well not anymore." Orihime said with determination as she crossed her arms.

"I don't mind being alone. In fact I prefer it." Rukia said stubbornly. "However, if it is your belief that one cannot be alone on Christmas then I suppose I will have to keep you company so you're not alone."

Orihime's face brightened up as Rukia offered a slight smile despite the fact she was upset about being dragged into this. "So what do you want to do tomorrow?"

"I was thinking we could just sit and talk like we are now." Rukia said not wanting to do anything festive.

"But we can't just sit around on Christmas. We have to do something." Orihime complained.

"How about I just let you decide what we do." Rukia said.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable though." Orihime said a little upset.

"Bit late for that." Rukia muttered under her breath before brightly saying. "Its fine, I don't mind and if I'm uncomfortable I'll be sure to let you know right away."

Orihime was back in high spirits now as she downed the last of her hot chocolate. Rukia drank hers as well frowning at the fact it had gotten cold. She finished it quickly and followed Orihime to the kitchen to rinse it. She saw a pile of dishes at the sink and let out a sigh as Orihime turned on the water to clean them.

"Do you want a hand with that?" Rukia asked trying to be polite.

"No it's fine it's only a days worth of dishes. I can handle it." Orihime smiled as if this much was a normal amount for one person to dirty in one day. "It's less then usual today so it won't take long. Go relax."

"This is a days worth?" Rukia was stunned. She normally only ate two or three times a day while this girls seemed to eat all day. It must be why she had grown so fully. "How much do you eat during one day?"

"Not much." Orihime chirped with a smile becoming completely oblivious to the flowing water behind her.

Rukia shook her head in disbelief and said, "The water is about to overflow."

Orihime yelped and turned it off quickly just barely escaping another mess. "I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention."

"Does this normally happen when you have guests over?" Rukia asked as she became amused with Orihime's actions.

Orihime looked over with a slight blush. "No, I'm just a little excited right now."

"I see," Rukia said bluntly. "That's the thing about holidays. There are far too many distractions."

"You sound like Byakuya." Orihime offered a slight chuckle. "The holidays aren't so bad. You just need to be with the right people that's all."

"Perhaps, but I don't like the holidays regardless." Rukia said stubbornly. "There are far too many distractions."

Orihime looked away sadly and started to do the dishes in silence. Rukia sighed and went to the counter and picked up a hand towel. She stood beside Orihime and waited for the dishes to be handed to her. Orihime gave her a slight upset look.

"If I'm going to be staying here with you I'm going to help you out with the house work. It's the least I can do." Rukia said. "After this we'll do something festive."

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable." Orihime complained.

"Don't worry about it. I've been working too hard lately so I suppose I could take sometime off." Rukia sighed. It was so hard to argue with this girl.

Orihime looked over at her brightly before wincing in pain. She pulled her hand put of the water to reveal a small cut on her finger. Rukia offered a slight chuckle at the girl's clumsiness.

"Let me see," Rukia said taking her hand to inspect the wound. It was just a scratch and Rukia herself has had much worse then this. But it's always the small cuts that are the most sensitive to anything. Rukia summoned some of her kidou to heal the wound instantly and with a smile she said, "All better."

Orihime smiled back at her with thanks and was about to go back to the dishes when Rukia pulled her away from the sink to switch places with her. "I'll do this. You can dry and put away."

"I can take care of all of this don't worry." Orihime complained to no avail since Rukia was no longer listening to any of her protests. "Just you being here is enough."

Rukia gave Orihime a strange look and caught the blush starting to form on Orihime's face as she looked away. "I thought I would be alone this year. So it really means a lot that you're here right now."

Rukia smiled at her innocence. "If you ever want company just let me know, Orihime."

Orihime's blush grew a little as she nodded with a very bright smile. "Thank you."

"What are friends for?" Rukia shrugged with a light chuckle. She would never say it but when she first came to this town she never would have believed she would even interact with a human even if she was seen by one. Now she is living a human life as her cover while being a soul reaper and keeping an eye on Ichigo. "Its nice how things turned out isn't it."

"Yes, of course." Orihime said a little too brightly as she took a plate Rukia was handing her.

Rukia laughed at Orihime's childlike behavior as she dried the plate as well as she could and as fast as she could. "This might just turn out to be a nice holiday after all."

They did all the dishes with bits of conversation here and there but they mostly remained silent as they cleaned. After that was taken care of they returned to the living room and sat at the table once more. There had been a bit of an awkward silence between them for sometime now which was a little unfitting for the most festive time of year. Though it was to Rukia's liking, it clearly was not to Orihime's.

Orihime let out a long sigh telling Rukia the time for silence had passed. "So Orihime, what shall we do now?"

Orihime just shrugged seemingly lost in her thoughts. Rukia frowned at the fact that Orihime was now bored. Rukia considered being more festive but soon realized she didn't know much about that. Rukia thought for a moment and reflected on how the other humans were acting around this time of year.

"Shall we decorate?" Rukia asked.

"I don't have any decorations, remember?" Orihime said.

"Hmm yes," Rukia said as she continued in her thoughts. "We could always improvise. Or go out and do something… though I have had enough snow for one night."

"How would we improvise?" Orihime asked now curious as to what Rukia was planning.

"I hadn't thought of that yet." Rukia concluded going back to her thoughts for a moment. "Do you have anything colorful? We could just put that in certain places to make it look a little more festive."

Orihime laughed. "That wouldn't really be Christmassy."

"Well then, what else could we do that's 'Christmassy'?" Rukia hesitated with the word. She wasn't even sure if it was a word. With Rukia not being much of a festive person all of this was fairly new to her. "What do humans do on this holiday?"

"Well, we spend time with family and loved ones and exchange gifts with each other. We eat and talk, watch movies, share stories with one another, and have a really fun time." Orihime said joyfully.

"I see, I guess I'm not much of a loved one." Rukia said a little distantly. "But I don't mind doing what you just said."

"You are a loved one, Rukia." Orihime said. "You are very dear to me. Don't think otherwise okay?"

Rukia smiled at Orihime's kind words. "Thank you, that means a lot."

Orihime smiled at her kindly. "So what do you want to do then?"

"Well, I already ate so anything but that I guess." Rukia said. "I also don't have any gifts. This was a little bit of a last minute decision."

"Shall we watch a movie then?" Orihime said excitedly.

"Sure, why not?" Rukia said kindly.

Orihime practically burst with happiness as they got up and moved to the living room. Rukia sat on the couch and was already beginning to feel how tired she was and concluded she would need to relax more often so she wouldn't be so exhausted. She yawned as Orihime had her back to her while picking a movie to watch. "How about this one, it's my favorite."

"It doesn't matter." Rukia said while doubting she would be awake long enough to see the ending of it. "If it's your favorite movie then it's all the more reason to watch it."

"Alright," Orihime said cheerfully as she put it in and started it.

She sat next to Rukia with a smile that Rukia returned kindly. "Oh, before I forget. Shouldn't we call Ichigo to let him know where you are?"

"No way, he locked me out." Rukia said bitterly. "He can be alone tonight."

"So you two are like that then." Orihime said a little upset.

"Ha, with him, you're joking right?" Rukia asked with disbelief before coming to a conclusion. "Wait, don't tell me you like him."

Orihime looked away with a bit of a hurt look. "I used to."

"Orihime, I'm sorry I didn't know." Rukia said guiltily putting a hand on Orihime's shoulder. "There is nothing between us. Don't worry he's all yours."

"I'm glad." Orihime said quietly as tears formed in her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rukia asked as she proceeded to rub Orihime's back. "I could talk to him about his feelings towards you."

Orihime went stiff under Rukia's words. "No thanks, it's fine. I don't need that."

"I won't tell him you like him. I'll just ask him if there is anyone he likes." Rukia reassured.

"That's not necessary." Orihime said quickly as her blush increases. "I don't like him anymore."

"I see," Rukia said skeptically. "I'll do what I can, alright?"

"But I don't like him anymore." Orihime was frantic now.

"Then why is your blush getting deeper the more we speak of this?" Rukia asked slyly.

Orihime went silent as she fidgeted a little in her awkwardness. Rukia may have found her friend's nervous actions a little humorous if she weren't so serious about this. "It's because I like someone else now."

"Oh, so is this someone I know?" Orihime offered only a slight nod and deeper blush. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Orihime shook her head frantically. Rukia continued to rub her back regardless of Orihime's deep awkwardness in this situation. "Sorry if I made things awkward for you. Do you want me to leave?"

"No, it's fine." Orihime said quickly before shying away again. "I'm just a little embarrassed about this."

"Then I won't bring it up again." Rukia said. "But if wish to talk about it I'll listen. Though, I'm sure you would probably talk about these things with Tatsuki before me."

"No she doesn't even know that I stopped liking Ichigo." Orihime said. "You're the first one I told."

"I see," Rukia said a little confused as to why Orihime was telling her first unless… "Wait, is it Tatsuki that you like?"

"No," Orihime denied right away. "But it…"

She shied away before finishing. Rukia smiled at her kindly, "Look, whoever it is that you like is very lucky to have a sweet girl like you having feelings for them."

"You really think so?" Orihime asked brightly.

"Of course," Rukia said happily. "Why, if I were a guy and had someone like you after me I would be more then overjoyed."

Orihime looked a little downhearted at that comment. "Yeah, I guess."

"Is something wrong?" Rukia asked.

"No it's nothing." Orihime said getting up. "I'll be back."

Orihime left without further word and went to the bathroom. Rukia knew something was wrong so she gave Orihime a bit of time before following her in silence. Rukia leaned her ear on the bathroom and heard Orihime crying.

Rukia felt terrible as it clicked that she was the one Orihime liked that's why she had been so embarrassed and overly kind. She felt horrible about the comment she had made about if she were a guy. She walked back to the living room quietly while deep in thought about how to cheer Orihime up.

She looked up at the clock then back to the forgotten movie that was still playing. Rukia sat down on the couch where she was before to avoid suspicion if Orihime returned while she was deep in thought. Rukia needed to do something to cheer her up and it would be best if it were tied to Christmas.

Rukia recalled hearing something about a couple's tradition that was used on this holiday but what it was had escaped her at the moment. She needed to figure it out and then put Orihime in that situation. Rukia wasn't sure if she cares for Orihime the same way she cared for her but to make her happy again she would do it.

Now all Rukia had to do was figure out how to get away undetected. It hit her almost immediately. She stood up and reached for her soul candy but it wasn't on her right now it was in the jeans which were in the bathroom. Rukia cursed herself for being so careless. But as long as she was loud enough to let Orihime know she was on her way it may still be alright.

"Orihime," She called as she hurried to the bathroom. "I need my soul candy. It's in my jeans. There's a hollow I need to take care of."

Rukia reached the door and was glad to hear no more sobs. The door opened and Orihime offered the soul candy without revealing more then just her arm. "Thanks, I'll be back as soon as I can."

Rukia went back to the living room and swallowed the soul candy. She took off immediately through the window with her mind still racing to figure out what she was looking for precisely. She was far too unfamiliar with this holiday to know.

Rukia cursed herself as she flew over the city in search of something she was unfamiliar with. How could she lack even this knowledge of this damned holiday? But that was simply because she had never found anyone to be with. She had always been on her own relationship wise. So she couldn't even begin to comprehend these things.

She found a crowd of humans and approached them since there seemed to be some couples among them perhaps what she was looking for was here. She scoffed when she saw it wasn't and continued on in her search. It had to be around here somewhere. It couldn't be missing in this town. Rukia knew it had to be somewhere.

She came to a stop and thought about all the spots couples liked to go to be together during the night. She let out an aggravated sigh realizing she didn't know any simply because she never bothered to care. So all that left was where she would like to spend a nice romantic evening with someone she cared about.

She then realized she wouldn't even give a damn about where they would be as long as it were quiet and not many people were around. But she was different from others. She would have to ask someone but who could she ask? There was no way she would want to ask Ichigo and give him any ideas. She could ask Urahara but he's too much of a pervert to answer decently.

She let out and aggravated sigh as she stopped to look around again. This time she found a somewhat lit area with plenty of couples around. It was here. It had to be she was sure of it. She went straight to one of the couples and observed them from a few feet away.

It didn't matter if she were in plain sight or hiding. The humans could look right at her and it wouldn't matter. She was as invisible to them as what she was looking for. She followed the couple until the stopped and looked up. The female pointed at what was hanging in the tree. "Look, it's a mistletoe."

The male pulled the girl closer to him and kissed her. Rukia was instantly sure that was what she was looking for but she couldn't touch it until the couple had left. But they seemed keen to making out under it. Rukia felt her chest tighten a little. Would she have to do this with Orihime as well or would just a simple kiss be enough to satisfy her.

Rukia let out a sigh as the couple left. She looked around quickly for any more humans before jumping up to the 'mistletoe'. She unsheathed her Zanpakutou to cut it down.

There was a loud howl not too far away. With all the couple here of course it would attract a hollow. Especially with a soul reaper as well as the humans it made a full meal for it, plenty of options to pick and choose from. Rukia cut the 'mistletoe' off the tree branch and put it in her robes quickly so she wouldn't lose it.

She tracked the hollow a little concerned with its strength. It wasn't something she couldn't handle. It would be an easy fight for her. What concerned her is that it would take time to fight it and she didn't want to return to Orihime's with injuries. That would be the last thing she needs to see and would put all of Rukia's efforts to waste. She would have to be quick with this.

Rukia found the hollow and saw it was fast approaching a couple. She wouldn't get there in time so she released her reiatsu as a distraction for it. She knew very well that hollows preferred eating soul reapers over humans whenever they got the chance. Rukia was giving it a perfect opportunity for a good meal.

The hollow stopped and looked over in Rukia's direction before charging at her. Rukia glanced past it for a moment to make sure the humans were safe. While looking over at them she saw a clock and her eyes widened. She had fifteen minutes before midnight.

Rukia put all her focus on the hollow just in time to block its attack. Rukia was forced back from the force of its physical strength. This may prove to be a little more difficult then she thought. The hollow pulled away from its attack to ready for another but with its massive body it was too slow.

Rukia struck it swiftly in the chest knowing full well it wouldn't kill it and it put her in danger. But going straight for its mask was too dangerous right now. She would have to slow it down before she could kill it. Rukia pulled her sword out and jumped away in time to avoid another attack. It howled in pain and attacked once more giving her the perfect opportunity.

Rukia jumped on its arm and ran up to its face. She sliced through its mask killing it instantly as she jumped over its head and caught a glimpse at the clock once more. Her eyes widened and her chest tightened. She had ten minutes to get back.

Rukia turned and ran as fast as she could before taking to the air. She wouldn't make it in time unless she broke some rules. She knew she would get in trouble for this if she were to get caught but it was the only way to make it work. She reached into her robe and made sure the 'mistletoe' was still there before pulling it out and grasping it tightly afraid of losing it after finally finding it.

She used shunpo to travel back across town to Orihime's house. She was there in a matter of minutes. Rukia entered through the bathroom window but Orihime wasn't there. Of course not. Rukia had been gone for too long. Orihime must have long since calmed down by now.

She left the bathroom and made her way to the living room where she found Orihime sitting at the table. Rukia approached the table a little out of breath. Orihime didn't look at her as she played with Rukia's soul pager in her hand.

"There was no hollow was there?" Orihime asked clearly upset with the lie. "At least not at first anyways, right?"

"Orihime," Rukia panted glancing at the clock once more. She had barely made it.

"You could have just told me that I had made you uncomfortable. I would have understood." Orihime said sadly.

"Stand up." Rukia said as she walked over to her. Orihime looked up at her with a tear stained face. Rukia glanced at the clock, two minutes left. "Please Orihime, you'll understand in a moment."

Orihime hesitantly stood up as Rukia watched the clock. It had to be perfect. One minute left. "Rukia, Is something wrong?'

"Everything's perfect." Rukia said as there was thirty seconds to midnight. She pulled out the 'mistletoe' from behind her back and raised it over their heads. Orihime's eyes widened as Rukia pulled her closer and kissed her as passionately as she could. When they pulled away both held a nice blush and kind smiles. "Merry Christmas, Orihime."


	2. The Firework Festival

Okay this was done last minute under a request so it was a little rushed. The traditions I used in this are actual Japanese New Year's traditions however I didn't list all of them and tried to be as descriptive as possible without going into too much detail. Thank you for reading, enjoy and R&R.

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own bleach and never will.

**The Firework Festival**

It was late in the evening and Rukia was just departing to visit Orihime. They had just recently become a bit more then just friends. Though Rukia was still a little confused about how she felt about the other girl she was willing to do her best to please her and find out along the way.

It was almost as hectic today at the Kurosaki residence as it was on Christmas Eve. And Rukia was glad to finally be away from it so she could spend time with her special friend. Rukia was as knowledgeable of this festival as she was of Christmas but she was aware of how she wanted to end the night with Orihime. She had that planned out at least and had also woken up extra early to find the perfect spot for them to watch the fireworks. The two of them would have they best view and no one would be around to bother them.

Other then the fireworks and dinner Rukia had no idea what they would be doing for the time in between the two. But what she was aware of was the fact that Orihime's feelings may be unrequited so she would allow Orihime to do anything she wanted to do. It was the least she could do. Rukia was also still trying to make up for that foolish comment she had made about the person Orihime liked. She had been so foolish she hadn't noticed the way Orihime had been acting around her that night so Rukia had assumed it was a boy that she liked.

Though, that didn't matter to Rukia at all. Not tonight. All that mattered tonight was perfection and Orihime's feelings. It didn't take much to please the girl but Rukia would do her best to make this night very enjoyable for both of them. She had made it a silent vow to herself when Orihime first proposed they spend the evening together.

At first Rukia had put up the mandatory mild fight to get out of it. She went over her duties as a soul reaper and the fact that Tatsuki may want to spend the evening with her instead since she had returned for the festival and the two of them did everything together. Rukia had at first frowned on the thought that the two of them did that and they were always together but then she simply pushed the thought aside to focus on more important matters.

She was already on the street Orihime lived on and she wanted all her attention on the girl that liked her so much. Rukia let out a sigh as she approached the apartment-like complex that Orihime lived in. She glanced at each of them in turn. All the decorations from the last holiday had been taken down from the doors and windows now. They were undoubtedly all down inside as well.

While it may be a joyous couple of days all the work to decorate just seemed a little much just to take them down the next day. However she knew one person who still had one decoration up and it would probably stay up for a long time to come as well. Next season will be the same thing. As soon as the holiday is mentioned that decoration will go up and would also probably be moved around each day so it was in a different spot each day. It was a bit much but there was no complaining or arguing coming from Rukia as she was to blame for it.

Rukia approached the door and offered a quick knock to announce her arrival. It was but a moment before movement could be heard from inside and Rukia braced herself for a giant hug that always accompanied her arrival at this house.

But when the door was opened it wasn't Orihime that stood there to greet her. It was Tatsuki who stood there to invite her in. Rukia could feel anger boiling in her stomach at the site of the girl standing there dressed up in a deep blue ceremonial yakuta that was nicer then her own dull black one.

"Hey, Rukia," The girl spoke nervously. "What are you doing here?"

Rukia's eyes narrowed as she spoke her anger filled words, "I'm here to spend the evening with Orihime. May I ask what _you're_ doing here?"

The girl offered a slight chuckle as she leaned on the door frame. She was completely oblivious to Rukia's anger. "Yeah, I came for the same thing but it seems someone already beat me to it. Orihime has a date tonight."

The daftness of this girl amazed Rukia but couldn't still her anger or confusion. Shouldn't it be clear to her that Rukia was Orihime's date? Though there was a good chance that Orihime had yet to tell Tatsuki of their new relationship which was understandable since Rukia herself hadn't told anyone of it either.

"Do I need your permission to enter?" Rukia asked with her growing anger. "Or do I have to stand out here all night?"

"Is there a point? Her boyfriend will be here soon anyways." Tatsuki said and closed the door without waiting for a reply.

A vain pulsed in Rukia's forehead as a part of her wanted to kick down the door and start yelling at Tatsuki's rudeness and thickness. Rukia took a deep breath to calm herself of her anger as she recalled that she wanted this night to be perfect for Orihime and this was just a minor setback in their plans for the evening.

Rukia took the door handle and quietly let herself in offering a quiet apology at the door so she would be forgiven of her intrusion. She walked to the kitchen where she found Tatsuki and Orihime preparing dinner. Anger pulsed through Rukia as she clenched her fists in rage. Her anger coursed through the only word that passed her lips, "Orihime."

They both turned and saw Rukia standing there looking so angry like she would hurt someone if they stepped out of line. Tatsuki was clearly more fazed then the girl beside her as she backed up nervously. Orihime, on the other hand, ran to Rukia and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Rukia held her special friend but continued to glare at the other girl as she stood there shocked at this turn of events. When the two girls parted Rukia put all her attention on Orihime and offered a smile before they shared a loving kiss.

They parted quickly as Orihime began to sense the growing awkwardness Tatsuki was in now. Rukia cared nothing for the other girl after her rude behavior at the door but gave her some attention with less anger then before since Orihime had taken all her anger out of her with that one kiss.

"Tatsuki, this is my date for the evening." Orihime said with no sense of awkwardness like doing that was a daily occurrence for her. But then ever since they had started these intimate actions it had been the same whenever they saw each other. "Are you mad at me?"

"I'm mad that you didn't say anything about this before." Tatsuki said with a hint of aggravation that was lost to Orihime. "You could have at least told me who it was before I acted so rudely."

"What do you mean?" Orihime asked obliviously. "When were you acting rudely?"

"It was nothing, Orihime. Just a little misunderstanding between us that's all." Rukia said quickly to avoid any form of further conflict with Orihime's best friend. That would not be good for their small relationship. No good can come from hating the best friend. Rukia was well aware of that even if Tatsuki wasn't. Rukia did her best to act cheerful. "So what were you two making?"

"Oh, we're making a traditional osechi." Orihime said delightfully. "It has boiled seaweed, fish cakes, mashed sweet potato with chestnut, simmered burdock root and sweet black soybeans. We already finished with the mochi rice cakes."

"I made sure it was all cooked normally." Tatsuki said still nervous about Rukia's angered presence.

Rukia smiled at her kindly. She was well aware of Orihime's knack for adding random ingredients to her food and wasn't all that willing to be subjected to it. Though she would eat it if it were necessary and would also tell Orihime it was delicious even if that were far from the truth. Rukia was keen on keeping Orihime in good spirits at all times no matter what the cost. Even if her taste buds were to suffer it was for Orihime's smile.

The awkward look on Tatsuki's face increased as Orihime took Rukia's hand with a smile. Rukia let out a sigh as she spoke, "Will you be joining us for dinner, Tatsuki?"

It pained her to ask since she wanted to spend time alone with Orihime and no one else. Tatsuki averted her eyes a little as she answered, "No, I should leave. I don't want to oppose on you two."

"Its fine, Tatsuki you can stay if you like." Orihime said almost pleadingly.

"I don't want to bother you two." Tatsuki argued. "You should spend the evening together."

Tatsuki quickly walked past them as Orihime gave her a sad look. Though Rukia was grateful to Tatsuki's consideration she hated to see Orihime frown like this. She released Orihime's hand and went after Tatsuki with a quick smile to Orihime. She caught Tatsuki at the door and quickly took her by the arm to stop her from going anywhere.

"Tatsuki, it's alright if you stay for dinner." Rukia said as kindly as she could. Tatsuki gave her a slight upset look. "You helped make the food so at least stay for it."

"No, it's fine. You two can be alone." Tatsuki argued.

"There is plenty of time for the two of us to be alone. But there isn't a lot of time for you to join us for New Year's Eve dinner." Rukia said with a smile. "Come and have dinner with us."

"Is it okay?" Tatsuki asked nervously.

"If it wasn't I wouldn't have stopped you, would I?" Rukia said.

Tatsuki let out a sigh and gave up her leave. She was grateful to Rukia's persistence and they walked back to the kitchen where Orihime waited to greet them with a smile. Rukia and Tatsuki returned her smile and went to help her at the counter. There wasn't much left to do so Orihime and Rukia went to the living room under Tatsuki's heavy persuasion.

Rukia smiled as they walked in and she found the mistletoe she had searched so hard to find only a week before was hanging from the ceiling right were they shared their first kiss. Orihime skipped her way under it as Rukia watched her with a growing smile.

Orihime stood under it expectantly waiting for Rukia to make her way over but Rukia just stood there and watched as Orihime stood there with her loving smile. The smile began to fade much to Rukia's displeasure. "You don't want to come over here?"

"I do," Rukia replied. "However, you look so nice standing there in your yakuta and your lovely smile that I just want to watch you for a moment."

Orihime's smile widened as she walked over to Rukia and took her hands with her own and pulled her to the mistletoe. Rukia smiled as they stopped underneath it and Orihime pulled her arms back to bring Rukia even closer to her and said, "I find the view is much better from here."

They shared a passionate kiss that left them both breathless. They wrapped their arms around each other and held the other as tightly as they dared. "I think you're right about the view being better from here. But I have an even better view that you will love."

"What view is that?" Orihime asked curiously but Rukia just smiled and remained quiet. The bait was set now it would be on her mind all night until she sees it. "Come on, tell me."

"I think it's a surprise." Tatsuki said as she made her way into the living room with as much of the food as she could carry.

The couple pulled away from each other to offer their assistance. Tatsuki tried to argue but gave in at the sight of Rukia's stern look. Tatsuki couldn't win against them and the look in Rukia's eyes confirmed that. The three of them had the table set and the tea served in a matter of minutes.

Soon they were all sitting around the table each filling their plates with as much food as they wanted but still being considerate of each other. There was still enough for the three of them to have seconds if they were still hungry. When they finished they chimed the normal: "Itadakimasu."

They began to eat their meal in silence not knowing if they should start a conversation or just eat in silence as they already were. Rukia was the one to break the silence however as she said, "Wow, this is amazing. I've never had anything like this before."

"Yeah, my aunt and uncle are cooks so when ever I go see them they teach me recipes for almost everything." Tatsuki said with a light blush at the compliment. "It's my first time making this though so I wasn't sure how it would turn out."

"Well, it's fantastic." Orihime said brightly. "But it could use more spices."

"I think it's perfect just how it is." Rukia said taking another bite of her meal.

"Then it's fine." Orihime said brightly.

Tatsuki blushed a little more. She wasn't used to being complimented for doing feminine things like this so it was a little much for her right now. The three went back to eating in silence once more letting Tatsuki lose her embarrassment and focus on other things. The silence didn't last long however but this time it was Tatsuki that broke it, "So how long has it been since you two got together?"

"We got together on Christmas Eve so it's been a week tonight." Orihime said happily making Rukia smile. "That was a fun night."

Tatsuki's face went red with a blush making Rukia chuckle a little. Orihime was as oblivious as always and didn't notice what she said was pretty misleading. "I assure you, Tatsuki that you are over thinking the matter."

Orihime gave both of them a strange look before shrugging it off and going back to her meal as Tatsuki slowly began to lose her blush. She let out a relieved breath and said, "I'm glad you two aren't just jumping right in like that and are waiting at least… right?"

"Perhaps," Rukia said teasingly. "Maybe we could wait a little before doing that."

Tatsuki went pale and Orihime gave both of them another confused look. She was completely lost to their conversation and had no idea what they were talking about. She gave another shrug and went back to her meal and decided to let the two have their conversation. It worked well until Rukia burst out laughing making Orihime look up once more. She didn't want to be left out if they were telling jokes or funny stories.

"I was only joking, Tatsuki." Rukia said. "There won't be anything like that for a while, alright?"

Tatsuki offered a slight nod before going back to her food in an awkward silence. Rukia went back to her meal as well after giving Orihime a bright smile. They all ate quietly until they were full and could eat no more. There were bits of conversation afterwords but not much more then was necessary.

After they cleaned up and the dishes were done and put away. Orihime was kept away from the sink since Rukia wouldn't be able to use her kidou to heal any small cuts that she may receive. Healing the wound would be Rukia's first instinct but with Tatsuki standing there as well it wouldn't be good to risk. So Rukia washed the dishes and Tatsuki dried while Orihime put them away.

It was done quickly and Tatsuki soon tried to leave again to give them some time alone. Orihime was a little less saddened this time that her friend wanted to leave but still Rukia insisted that Tatsuki stayed just a little longer so they could do some other New Year's Eve activities since she was at a loss in this holiday as well.

Tatsuki reluctantly agreed to stay for a while longer but no more then that. Orihime was glad that Tatsuki decided to stay and Rukia was overjoyed once more to see Orihime smiling at her efforts. The two had cuddled up on the couch as Tatsuki was acting something out for their game of charades.

Rukia was even more lost to this game then the holiday itself which made her have a losing streak in this game. They eventually switched to a different game but Rukia had enough losing and sat out to watch the other two have their fun. She held Orihime tight in her arms and whenever Orihime would fall behind in the game she would give her a kiss on the neck or the cheek to boost her spirits.

The games concluded with Tatsuki coming out victorious and Orihime being just below a close second. Orihime pouted a little in Rukia's arms only to be instantly overjoyed as Rukia spoke in her ear, "You will always be first in my eyes."

Orihime turned as much as she could to kiss Rukia on the lips. They parted with a smile before getting off the couch. As much as they all wanted to just sit around and enjoy the evening it was getting late and it was time for them to go to the festival.

They had decided to go together and then go their separate ways so they wouldn't put Tatsuki in any further awkward situations. Especially with what Rukia had planned for the fireworks. They readied to go after making sure they had everything.

Since Rukia was accustomed to wearing a kimono regularly she was skilled at carrying things in the robe itself and would keep it well hidden from the others. Orihime would have no idea what she was planning to do. Though she intends to keep her word with Tatsuki and refrain from doing anything more then she had planned even if Orihime wanted it.

They laughed and talked on the way to the town's shrine where the festival was being held. Along the way they encountered a lot of other people including other students from school. As they arrived at the gate there was an unmistakable call from a certain girl in their class.

They didn't stop or turn around and Orihime seemed to be enjoying herself too much to notice her name was called or the aggravated shouts of people behind them. Rukia and Tatsuki move swiftly as they heard the fast approaching footsteps.

Rukia took Orihime by the sleeve and pulled her out of harms way as Tatsuki turned and hit Chizuru with an open hand. Orihime snapped out of her happy daze and caught Rukia's eyes as she glanced at her kindly. They shared a smile before Chizuru started her verbal assault on Tatsuki drawing their attention away from each other.

They watched as the two girls argued with each other about decency and density. It was amusing for a while but Rukia didn't want to stay and watch them argue since it could take hours before they gave in. Rukia gets Orihime's attention and motions towards the shrine.

Orihime smiles with a nod but looks back at Tatsuki with a worried look. Their eyes meet for a moment in which Tatsuki nods to give them their leave. Rukia takes Orihime's hand and they continue on to the shrine. They moved as quickly as they could in the crowd since Rukia wanted to be far away from that excessive redhead.

When the two girls reached the top of the stairs they noticed everything was already crowded with groups of people. Orihime moved a little closer to Rukia so they wouldn't get separated as they ventured into the crowds to find out what was going on at the stands that covered the shrine grounds.

They quickly spotted the game stands as they had the biggest crowds and the food stands since there was a nice aroma around every single one of them. They passed them all since they had their fill of food and games for the evening. They went to the shrine's bell to offer their prayers and receive their year's fortune.

Rukia was a little skeptical about fortunes but would go along with it for the sake of Orihime's smile. They reached the bell and bowed before it then proceeded to kneel in front of it to offer their prayers. Orihime offered a simple prayer while Rukia, being a lot older and a little more traditional offered a full prayer before she rang the bell and took her fortune.

They left so others could offer their prayers and receive their fortunes. Orihime opened her fortune and beamed at it before looking at Rukia to see her simply place it under her sash without even giving it a second look.

"You don't read your fortunes?" Orihime asked.

"Why should I?" Rukia asked in response before explaining, "I don't need to look at this piece of paper to know if I'm lucky or not."

"Then how will you know?" Orihime asked as her mood dropped a little.

"That's simple." Rukia said. "If I look at you and see your smiling face then I know I'm lucky. But if I look at you and see you're frowning then I'm unlucky and I have to do what I can to change my luck."

Orihime beamed at her and pulled her into a big hug. She pulled away as she felt something hidden in Rukia's robes. She looked at her questioningly and asked, "What's in your robes?"

"I have my soul pager and my soul candy." Rukia said truthfully. "It's just a precaution, Orihime. There are a lot of people here."

Orihime nodded sadly. Even at a festival like this Rukia still needed to have these things on her in case a hollow appeared. Just because it was their first actual date didn't mean Rukia could take time off her duties as a soul reaper. She was always on duty while she was here. The only time she wasn't on duty was when she was at Soul Society but even then there were things that she needed to do there. Rukia would never have time off to spend with Orihime without worry. They both knew that but they would both do their best to work around it for the sake of the others smile. Just the knowledge of that made their smiles that much brighter to each other.

Rukia took Orihime's hand and smiled at her as kindly as he could before they were off to find another place to visit. They walked in silence each looking for a place to go to enjoy each others company in peace without the judging looks from others. The dark looks were on and off in the crowd. Rukia frowned at this. She didn't like to be judged by others standards. And she was sure Orihime didn't like it either.

Rukia let out a sigh and released Orihime's hand. A wave of guilt swept through her as she sensed Orihime's sadness. It hurt to know Orihime was sad but Japan doesn't recognize two girls in a relationship so they couldn't be open about it. The way it was here made Chizuru's courage admirable but Rukia wasn't that brave when it came to things like this. She glanced over at Orihime and tried to smile but found it difficult to even force one.

Orihime looked almost heartbroken. She must hate this restriction between them but it was necessary. Rukia didn't want Orihime to be judged because of her. Their eyes met for a moment before Orihime looked away clearly saddened by Rukia's slight rejection. The guilt inside of Rukia increased making her look away as well.

"This isn't what you want is it?" Orihime said sadly.

Rukia looked back at Orihime shocked at her conclusion. "That's not it at all, Orihime. I'm sure you've noticed the looks we have been getting. I don't want you to be judged because of me."

"I don't care about what others think about us." Orihime said meeting Rukia's eyes once more. "All I care about is what you think about this relationship."

Rukia smiled at Orihime warmly before she realized that all the crowds were dispersing and everyone seemed to be going the same way. Rukia snapped her attention away from Orihime as she glanced around quickly to get her bearings. A sly smile formed on her face, she was exactly where she wanted to be.

"Do you still want to watch the fireworks together?" Orihime asked a little saddened that Rukia hadn't said anything about their relationship. "I understand if you don't want to be with-"

Rukia didn't give her a chance to finish what she was saying. Rukia took Orihime by the wrist and brought her off the path and into the woods. She didn't care about the looks they were getting any more. She had wanted this moment to be perfect so she would make it perfect. The humans can have their opinion. Rukia no longer cared. If she cared about that then it would only make Orihime sad and that was the last thing Rukia wanted.

They came to a stop when no one else was in view and there was no light. Rukia saw Orihime give her a worried look as she stepped away and released her making Orihime search around with her hands. It was far too dark for her here. Orihime was blind to everything around her.

A smile formed on Rukia's face as she moved out of Orihime's reach and hid her reiatsu perfectly. Rukia pulled a silk cloth from her robes and held it loosely in her hand as she swallowed the soul candy. Rukia's gigai fell lifelessly to the ground as her spirit was removed. She had a dud soul candy. It had no soul to fill the body and it helped make sure Orihime was unaware of everything around her. Rukia moved quickly and silently to do what she needed to do.

"Are you still here, Rukia?" Orihime squeaked clearly stating her fear.

"Do you trust me?" Rukia asked quietly so Orihime couldn't find the source of her voice but clear enough so she would hear her perfectly.

"I trust you completely." Orihime said confidently but her confidence clearly wavered when Rukia pulled the cloth over her eyes and blindfolded her. "What are you doing?"

"Trust me," Rukia said quietly in her ear. Orihime offered a slow nod and remained still but as every second went by her body stiffened with nervousness and fright. Rukia quickly moved around Orihime swiftly and silently. Rukia took Orihime's arms and wrapped them around her front. "Hold on tight."

Orihime nodded on Rukia's neck as Rukia crouched down a little to lift her up on her back. Orihime giggled as she was lifted up but that died down and her grip tightened as Rukia jumped into the air and quickly got above tree level and traveled towards where the fire works were being held. Rukia made a quick change of direction but slowed as Orihime's grip tightened some more.

Rukia headed to the highest point on the shrine grounds. It wasn't that far from where the fireworks were being set off. Close enough to have a perfect view but far enough to not get caught up in it or be too close to the noise. As they reached it Rukia let Orihime down but stopped her as she reached for the blindfold. "Not yet."

Orihime nodded and allowed herself to be guided to the edge and turned in the direction of the fireworks. Rukia untied the cloth but held it in place with one hand while the other was wrapped around her waist. They remained silent and still until the first firework was set off. Rukia released the cloth and it fell away as the firework exploded.

Orihime's eyes widened at the sight of it. Rukia held the cloth in her hand as she held Orihime tightly in her arms with a smile. Rukia could feel Orihime's heart pick up as more fireworks were set off and pulled her even closer to her. Rukia smiled warmly as Orihime took her arms with her own and held them tightly. "Do you still doubt my feelings?"

"No," Orihime replied immediately. "This was your surprise?"

"Are you happy with it?" Rukia asked. "I searched all morning for the perfect spot to watch this with you. I wanted this to be perfect for you so you would never forget it."

Rukia could feel Orihime's joy overflow as more fireworks went off. Their grip around each other tightened a little as a cold breeze blew and sent one of the fireworks a little off course. It exploded to the side but was no cause for alarm. There was nothing around to be damaged and no one would be in harms way.

The couple remained silent as they watched the display of lights and noise. Their grip tightened and loosened as the wind and explosions went on. After the fireworks they remained where they stood as the monks rang the bell. They stood there and waited for the bell to ring all one hundred and eight times to cleanse themselves of all one hundred and eight sins and worldly desires.

When the bells finished ringing everything was silent but far below them where the crowds were dispersing to go for the traditional soba noodles served after the ringing of the bells. Rukia released Orihime so she could turn around. They smiled at each other kindly as Rukia wrapped the cloth around Orihime's neck and pulled her closer. There smiles widened as Orihime wrapped her hands around Rukia's waist.

They watched each other lovingly before they closed the gap between them. Their kiss lingered before they pulled away from each other with a wide smile. Rukia's smile widened as she said, "Happy New Year."

The couple stayed there for hours just holding each other until their legs began to hurt. They then sat and looked out over Karakura and watched everyone go about their business but by that time it was quite late so the only people around were either going home or drunk. They remained where they were until most people were gone or too drunk to notice their decent to the woods. They navigated the woods and kept together by holding the cloth as Rukia lead Orihime back to her gigai.

They found it with ease and Rukia quickly reentered it and they continued through the woods to an opening where they exited quietly and made their way back to Orihime's home quickly avoiding every human possible so they wouldn't get caught up in any drunken tactics they may use. The trip was quick and simple and soon they were back in Orihime's living room sitting and enjoying each others company.

Both of them sat and talked for the rest of the night before they retired to bed. They laid in each others arms and Rukia had borrowed the same pajamas she had her first night here. They slept the whole day peacefully with no troubles and no worries.

**The End**


End file.
